Attacks on Elon Musk’s Tesla are on the rise: What you need to know

Tesla Motors, one of billionaire Elon Musk’s companies — who now serves as head of the Department of Government Efficiency — has been the target of a series of violent attacks against its vehicles and dealerships. The vandalism is part of a protest movement against the policies of the entrepreneur and the Trump administration. For his part, the U.S. president has shown his support for Musk and his company, and has indicated that the acts (which he considers unpatriotic) will be considered domestic terrorism.

A wave of attacks

Since the South African-born Elon Musk took a key role in the Trump administration as the leader of DOGE, detractors have carried out various protest actions. While some people (including celebrities) decided to get rid of their Tesla cars and — in some cases — donate the money to various communities affected by the Department’s decisions (such as massive layoffs at the federal level), there have been reported cases of attacks on vehicles produced by the company or against its dealerships.

One such incident occurred on March 18, 2025, in Las Vegas, when a Tesla “Collision Center” was set on fire. At least five vehicles were damaged after a person dressed in black approached the building with Molotov cocktails and a gun. The attacker, who wrote “RESIST” on the display window, caused severe damage by setting the cars on fire and allegedly firing several shots at them. This targeted attack led the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to bring in counterterrorism detectives and the FBI.

In Kansas City, several Tesla Cybertrucks were set on fire in what police suspect may have been an intentional attack. In Oregon, two separate shootings occurred at Tesla dealerships, while other incidents in South Carolina and Massachusetts have raised suspicions of coordinated attacks.

Many of the attacks are linked to the Tesla Takedown movement, a protest group that has spread across several cities. Founded by actor Alex Winter in February 2025, the group openly targets Musk for his controversial role in the Trump administration. Its website encourages people to sell their Teslas, dump their stock and join protests to express their dissatisfaction with Musk’s leadership and political affiliations. Although the movement initially claimed to be peaceful, the recent escalation of violence has changed its image.

Moreover, the acts of protest are not just on U.S. soil, as the anti-Tesla and anti-Musk movement has gone global. In January of this year, the British-based group Led By Donkeys took credit for an act in which an image of Elon Musk performing what appears to be a Nazi salute and the word “Hail” was projected onto the facade of a Tesla factory outside Berlin, Germany. Protests of various kinds have been held in other parts of Europe due to the billionaire’s support for the far right.

White House response

President Donald Trump has condemned the attacks and suggested they should be labeled domestic terrorism. Trump, who has had a contentious relationship with Tesla and Musk, expressed his support for the company, along with the entrepreneur, at a White House appearance. He called for swift action against those responsible for the violence, and stated that anyone who targeted Tesla would face legal consequences.

Attorney General Pam Bondi called the most recent attacks “domestic terrorism,” and stressed that the perpetrators would face serious consequences, including lengthy prison sentences. On Thursday, March 20, she announced that three individuals face federal charges for attacking Tesla properties with Molotov cocktails in different states. Bondi called the charges a “warning” to others who engage in vandalism. One of the suspects in Oregon was armed with an AR-15 while attacking a showroom, another one attempted to set a fire in Colorado and the third set Tesla charging stations on fire after writing anti-Trump messages. The charges carry sentences ranging from five to 20 years in prison. The White House has stood firmly behind Musk, with officials urging support for Tesla and condemning Democrats for failing to denounce the violence.

Musk’s response

For his part, Elon Musk has condemned the attacks as “insane” and “deeply wrong.” In a post on his social network X (which reportedly came under attack a few weeks ago), Musk expressed his belief that Tesla was being unfairly targeted despite the company’s focus on electric vehicle production. Musk also suggested that behind the attacks could be “dark forces,” specifically leftist billionaires, although he has not provided concrete evidence to back up his claims.

The attacks on Tesla showrooms have coincided with a sharp drop in the company’s shares, whose sales are faltering amid growing criticism of Musk’s political involvement, both in the United States and in Europe and Canada — a country that has been threatened by Trump, who has expressed interest in it becoming just another state in the American Union.

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